"I'll... try to fix it."
Yoizumi walked closer to the two and said.
"After all..."
"Who knew the wind was so strong last night, right?" Komatsuse quickly waved her hand and blinked her eyes, signaling Yoizumi, explaining in a flustered rush.
"Are your... eyes not... comfortable?" Yoizumi didn't grasp Komatsuse's hint and said bluntly.
"If you're not comfortable... go... get it treated, being sick... isn't good..." Yoizumi felt an inexplicable unease; he had a great aversion to illness.
He closed his eyes as if that person was looking at him weakly, her brilliant golden pupils dimmed, but she still forced a smile.
"I'll... fix... the roof today, you go... rest."
"Oh dear! Is Xiao Se feeling unwell?" Grandmother no longer cared about the hole in the roof and hurried to Komatsuse's side, taking her hand and leading her into the house.
"Did you catch a cold yesterday? Go rest quickly!"
"Eh? Grandmother! I'm fine."
"No, you must rest if there's even a slight problem!" She forcefully made Komatsuse lie under the covers, tucking her in tightly. She was now terrified that any mishap with Komatsuse would lead her to leave, just like her son and daughter-in-law.
"Grandmother ~" Unable to argue with the elderly woman, and seeing that Grandmother had no intention of leaving, Komatsuse lay on the bed helplessly, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Will Mr. Yoizumi be okay alone? He seems cold-natured and inflexible, but also easily swayed. If left unchecked, he might be tricked by the villagers!
Komatsuse was now utterly restless.
..."Pitter-patter ~" Raindrops rhythmically tapped on the eaves, making a crisp and continuous sound. The fine rain was like silk, seemingly with no intention of stopping, and the gloomy, gray sky enveloped the earth, making the whole world appear hazy.
The muddy roads were covered with puddles of all sizes; one wrong step could splash mud everywhere. When Yoizumi walked out of the house, he grabbed an umbrella. Actually, for him, a little rain was fine, as he possessed a strong physique and wouldn't easily get sick. But his clothes still needed careful protection to avoid getting dirty or damaged.
After opening the umbrella, Yoizumi decided to first take a walk around the village to observe the house structures of other families. He also wanted to see if he could find some usable materials for future needs. Relying on yesterday's memory, he slowly walked into the village along the familiar path.
Due to the rain, the roads were empty, with hardly anyone in sight. Only in the fields he had just passed could he see a few villagers, wearing coir raincoats and bamboo hats, bending over and toiling diligently.
This village was not large, with about twenty households. Yoizumi casually looked around, his eyes filled with curiosity and novelty. Although the houses had similar styles, each had its own unique features. Some roofs were thatched, while others were covered with tiles; some walls were made of adobe, while others were built with bricks and stones. These details all made Yoizumi feel new and interesting.
Seeing that his observation of the surroundings was almost complete, Yoizumi prepared to turn around and head back. Just then, a voice suddenly called out to him: "Yoizumi!"
Yoizumi looked in the direction of the voice and saw Nishimura poking his head out of his house, a kind smile on his honest and good-natured face.
"Is it okay to call you that?" Nishimura asked.
Yoizumi had always been indifferent to such matters of address, so he nodded slightly, indicating his agreement.
"The rain outside is heavy right now, why don't you come inside my house and sit? Our village hasn't had outsiders for a long time. It's a good chance for me to properly introduce you to this place." Nishimura said, waving enthusiastically at Yoizumi.
Yoizumi pondered to himself. His purpose for coming out to explore was to gain a deeper understanding of this unfamiliar human world and to recover his lost memories. If he could interact and chat more with others, he might truly gain something.
Thinking this, he unhesitatingly walked towards Nishimura's house.
As soon as he entered, Nishimura busily greeted Yoizumi and quickly brought out a steaming cup of fragrant tea, handing it to Yoizumi and saying with concern: "Drink some hot tea quickly to warm yourself and ward off the cold."
Yoizumi gently picked up the teacup, symbolically took a small sip, and then slowly placed it back on the table. At this moment, Nishimura sat steadily opposite him, watching Yoizumi with a smile.
"Our village is called Xiao Xi Village. And I, well, I'm the village chief of this village. Yoizumi, if you don't mind, you can call me Uncle Nishimura!" Nishimura said enthusiastically.
Yoizumi nodded slightly in response: "Mm."
Nishimura continued: "I really have to thank you. Yesterday, it was thanks to your help that you saved Song Se, that girl from our village. This child, she always makes people worry. I've told her many times to try and stay out of the mountains, but she just won't listen!" At this point, Nishimura shook his head helplessly.
Then, Nishimura added: "Song Se's family now only has her and her grandmother depending on each other. Fortunately, our neighbors get along well, and we usually help each other out. Komatsuse is also someone everyone watched grow up little by little."
Yoizumi always listened quietly to Nishimura's narration, with not much change in his expression. Nishimura, however, was a very talkative person, gushing about everything from various interesting small events in the village to family matters and social customs. He talked until his mouth was dry and parched, only then did Nishimura finally pause, quickly picking up the tea in front of him and gulping it down.
However, after saying so much, and talking his mouth raw, Yoizumi showed almost no reaction. Nishimura couldn't help but wonder: Why is this kid so quiet? Do none of these things I'm saying interest him? Nishimura smacked his lips, looking thoughtfully at Yoizumi.
That person had a handsome appearance, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and a chiseled face; he was truly good-looking. Although he looked thin, the fact that he could carry Xiao Se with one hand yesterday showed that he had a good physique. It was just a pity that such a handsome person had such a clumsy mouth, not only not very good at speaking but also with a slight stutter when he did speak, truly a flaw in an otherwise perfect picture.
Furthermore, in Xiao Se's family, only she and her grandmother depended on each other. If there was a man to help out, life would surely be much easier and better. And this young man in front of him seemed quite suitable. Xiao Se was already a lively, active, and playful person; these two together, one quiet and one active, would complement each other perfectly.
So, old man Nishimura smiled and kindly asked: "Yoizumi, where do you come from?"
Yoizumi hesitated slightly, then stammered in reply: "There was a bit of... an accident, so... I don't remember... much."
What? He doesn't even remember where his hometown is? Nishimura couldn't help but feel a pang of pity, lamenting to himself: Oh dear, this child is quite pitiful! Then, he let out a long sigh and shook his head helplessly.
After a moment of silence, Nishimura kindly said again: "If you truly have nowhere to go, why not stay in our Xiao Xi Village? The folks in our village are all warm and hospitable; they certainly won't treat you badly."
Yoizumi refused without thinking. He couldn't stay here his whole life; he still had more important things to do.
Nishimura secretly felt it was a pity, but he didn't insist.
After Yoizumi consulted him on how to repair the roof, he left.